Mr. Swisher is a good player but is not on a Cooperstown track. As celebrity endorsements move beyond the superstars, the mid-level player with personality and social-media savvy can reach endorsement and name-recognition levels that were once only the domain of the best of the best, said David Carter, author of the recent book, Money Games, and head of the USC Sports Business Institute.

Good for Swisher, because he seems like a neat guy. And because we West Virginia-raised, Ohio State attendees have to stick together. But really, the best part of this is the inevitable side effects.

Swisher and most of the other athletes who are on Twitter a lot are there because they want to be there. They’re extroverts and over-sharers who naturally gravitate to the medium for the same reasons all of us other deadenders who spend our days glued to social media do. But now that it’s being talked up as a bonafide path to endorsement deals, you just know that agents and handlers are going to push their athlete-clients into getting on the Twitter more and more as a business proposition.

I can’t wait for that to happen. Because the Nick Swishers of the world know the rules and the etiquette of it all and are thus predictable and, it must be said, a tad boring. In contrast, as those who might otherwise avoid social media are forced into it, there will be all kinds of social stumbles, scandals and embarrassment. And that’s exactly the kind of thing we Twitter deadenders absolutely live for.

Blash, 28, was acquired by the Yankees from the Padres back in December in the Chase Headley trade. In trading Blash to the Angels, the Yankees were able to free up a spot on the 40-man roster for Brandon Drury, the infielder they acquired as part of a three-team trade with the Diamondbacks and Rays on Tuesday.

Over parts of two seasons in the majors, Blash has hit an underwhelming .200/.323/.336 in 279 plate appearances. He will try to play his way into a bench role for the Angels this spring.